Xerophyte

Habit

This cactus forms a huge crowded and variously shaped heap of stems 0.5-3 (or more) meters tall and wide (depending on clone and growing conditions) and looks more like a giant green coral tree than a cactus and shows different crested and monstrous shapes.

Description

Cereus hildmannianus f. cristata monstruosaSN|28484]]SN|28484]] (a.k.a. C. peruvianus montruosus) is a teratological (monstrous mutant) cactus form (or cultivar) that grows into a tight bunch of twisted stems with irregular ribs and more or less crested growing points. There are several other crested Cereus clones that have a tendency to fan out, but the Cereus hildmannianus f. cristata monstruosaSN|28484]]SN|28484]] is surely one of the best form available. Due to its large size it make a spectacular attraction also in pots in the greenhouse or yard and outdoor in the garden too.

Note

Cereus hildmannianus f. cristata monstruosaSN|28484]]SN|28484]] cactus is generally increased from cuttings. However, on sowing seed, a proportion of seedlings show the same monstrous condition. Whichever way propagation is carried out, the same name is to be applied to the monstrous plants that form the cultivar, moreover there are several clones shoving different degrees of monstrosity all referable to the same cultivar name. The non-monstrose plants raised from seeds collected on monstrous parents are treated as indistinguishable parts of the species.